HENRY PERCY ~ ANNE BOLEYN’S FIRST LOVE
Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland, was born about 1502.
He is primarily remembered as the betrothed of Anne Boleyn.
Percy was forced to give up his lady love, when it became apparent that Henry VIII was becoming interested in Anne.
Henry Percy was the eldest son of Henry Percy 5th Earl of Northumberland and his wife Catherine.
Through his mother he was a cousin of William Carey, who was married to Anne’s sister, Mary Boleyn.
When quite young, Henry was sent to serve as a page in Thomas Wolsey’s household.
It was a way for young aristocrats to learn about their society.
Although Percy was to be betrothed to Mary Talbot, he fell in love with Anne Boleyn.
At the time Anne was a young lady in the court of Katharine of Aragon
Percy became betrothed to Anne, probably in the spring of 1523, when he was still a page to Wolsey.
On hearing the news, Wolsey scolded Lord Percy ~ as permission for the marriage had not been sought from his father, nor from the King.
The betrothal was soon discovered, and the Earl of Northumberland sent for his son, and threatened him with disinheritance.
Besides the proposed match with Percy and Mary Talbot, another serious obstacle was that Anne was intended to wed James Butler~9th Earl Ormond.
Percy’s father’s refusal to permit the match between Percy and Anne, was that he also believed Anne Boleyn, a mere knight’s daughter, was not a high enough rank for his son and heir.
It has been speculated, that Anne Boleyn had already caught the eye of Henry VIII, and this was the true reason she was forbidden from marrying Henry Percy.
Thomas Wolsey allegedly said to Percy~
“I order you, and in the king’s name
command you, not to see her again,
if you intend to avoid the full wrath of his majesty!”
Thomas Wolsey broke up the love match, and both Percy and Anne were heartbroken
Could this be the reason why Anne Boleyn held such a strong grudge towards Wolsey?
In early 1524/1525, Percy begrudgingly married Mary Talbot.
Their union was not a happy one.
Once, Percy declared that he was not really Mary’s husband, as he and Anne had been pre~contracted to each other.
By 1528, only four years into their marriage, the couple’s relationship had broken down.
Percy suspected his wife of spying on him for Norfolk, while her father worried that the young husband was abusing her, and might even poison her if he got the chance.
The couple may have separated shortly after, at least temporarily, since Mary delivered a stillborn child at her father’s home in April 1529.
On 19th May 1527 Percy succeeded his father as sixth Earl of Northumberland.
Percy was constantly ill with a feverish, shivery illness, probably malaria, he was also burdened with a considerable debt.
In May 1536, Percy was forced to be on the jury for the trial of his former love, Anne Boleyn.
He collapsed following Anne’s guilty verdict, and had to be carried out.
In early 1537, Percy’s mind was failing fast.
Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland, died on 29th June 1537, a mere 13 months after the exEcution of the woman he loved – Anne Boleyn.
Percy was buried in St Augustin’s Church, now the site of St John at Hackney parish church.
A memorial plaque was discovered during the 2020 refurbishment of St John at Hackney, and was re-installed inside the church.
💘 Picture of Henry Percy, from the Duke of Northumberland Collection, Syon House.